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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30069807">You Can Change Right Next To Me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucianowriter/pseuds/lucianowriter'>lucianowriter</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sing To Me Instead [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Schitt's Creek</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Awkward Conversations, Happy Ending, Light Angst, Love, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 18:35:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,499</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30069807</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucianowriter/pseuds/lucianowriter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the robbery at Rose Apothecary, David wonders if he and Patrick are headed for a break up. They sit down and talk both sides before making a decision to move forward. </p>
<p>Inspired by Grow As We Go by Ben Platt</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Patrick Brewer/David Rose</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Sing To Me Instead [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2158827</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>84</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>You Can Change Right Next To Me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey frands! Here it is! The 4th installment to my Sing To Me Instead series. This song was harder for me to come up with a fic for. Thus, a long writers block period ensued. I’m so sorry. I’m cleared up now and in fact I am already working on the next fic! </p>
<p>Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The store was eerily quiet as the door closed behind the officer. David knew he had made a mistake, but in the moment he really did think his life was in danger. Couldn’t Patrick see that? Biting his lip, David moved toward the back storage area where Patrick had retreated to. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Patrick’s back was to him as he stacked boxes. He didn’t even turn around when David rapped his knuckles on the door frame to get his attention. Holding back emotion that really wanted to escape — a culmination of the robbery and Patrick’s reaction — David stepped closer to his boyfriend. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Patrick?” David’s voice was tentative and soft. He didn’t want to spook Patrick. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“David. I need space or I’m going to say something I’ll regret.” Patrick’s voice is level and there is no give in it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>David decided that he might as well just go home. Patrick didn’t want him around that much was obvious. For the past few months David had honestly started to believe Patrick was different. That they could make it work long term. They’d even exchanged “I love you” and that was not something David did freely. But, this Patrick was different. Something had changed. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Was this Patrick realizing David was too much hassle? That he was too immature and impulsive for Patrick to handle?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>David fought back tears as he slipped into his and Alexis’ room. He didn’t let people see him cry and he wasn’t about to start now. This was it. His life was officially over. Patrick was leaving him. He’s messed up before but this time it affected the business. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t know how long he remained curled up in his bed, under the covers, but sooner than he’d liked the covers were pulled off. He turned to glare at the perpetrator and found it was Alexis.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Shove off Alexis! I’m sleeping.” David buried his head into his pillow.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“And what? Miss your cute little button’s visit?” Alexis moved to the head of his bed and sat down close enough to boop his head. “Come on David, he looks…”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mad? Upset? Like he’s gonna break up with me?” David pulled his head up and stared his sister dead in the face.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I was gonna say like a kicked puppy, but I’m more interested why you’d think he was here to break up with you.” Alexis waggled her upper body in interest while smacking her lips.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Nope. Not unpacking that with you.” David waved a finger in her face and sat up some more. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He gazed toward the closed door and achingly wondered if Patrick was just pulling appearances for his family members. He’d definitely want to keep it between them if they broke up. It was after all their business and no one else’s. He bit his lip and wondered how hard it would be to break their partnership. Could he walk away and leave it all to Patrick with very little hardship?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Daaayvid” Moira sang as she came through to their room via the adjoining doorway. “Why is Pat outside? Let him in, the poor boy he looks positively melancholic.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>David rolled his eyes before he shooed both of them out of the room. “Please leave. I would rather not have an audience for this conversation.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He watched and waited for the adjoining door to latch shut before he opened the door as far as the deadbolt would let him. He’d rather keep a barrier between himself and Patrick’s inevitable heartbreak.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“David. Can we talk?” Patrick’s voice was calm and gentle once more — bracing David for the fall no doubt.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I think we’d be better off not dragging this out. Better to end it now before we end up saying things that will only cause hurt.” David dismissed Patrick. He would rather nip it in the bud before Patrick had the opportunity to.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh. Um. If that’s what you want.” Patrick’s voice was dejected. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Mhm. It’s probably best.” David tried to hide the intense emotion wanting to break free.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Patrick started to walk away and so David closed the door. He slid his body down until he was crouched on the floor up against the solid weight of the only exit in sight. He let a silent sob out. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. He was finally at a healthier, more stable point in his life. He’d opened himself up to the vulnerability of being seen and loved. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A pounding brought him out of his head and David scrambled to wipe away his tears. He moved away from the door and stood up. With a deep breath he reached out to open it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“David, you can’t really want to break up. Look. We both made mistakes today. But I figured we could talk it out. Even after Rachel you at least let me say my piece. Please. I don’t want to end things like this!” David was right next to the door as Patrick begged with him through it. He was close enough to hear the faint thud as Patrick’s head made contact with the barrier.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t want to break up? David could feel his heart hope for the best. He knew he should probably still keep an open mind to avoid heartache, but hearing Patrick say he didn’t want to break up was hope enough. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>David opened the door all the way. Standing before him was a very guilty looking Patrick and in his hand was a paper sack.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“It depends. What’s in the bag?” David squeaked quietly, not wanting to reveal just how relieved he was by Patrick’s words.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Based on Patrick’s sideways smile David knew he hadn’t succeeded. “It’s a blueberry muffin from the cafe. I figured in all the excitement you missed lunch.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you. And yes I did.” David smirked as he grabbed the bag and moved aside so Patrick could enter his room.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Why is it the only times I’ve been in this room have been when we are about to break up?” Patrick whispered, almost as an afterthought. A rhetorical question he didn’t want answered.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>David moved to sit on the edge of his bed and Patrick did the same on Alexis’ bed. They both sat in silence as David gathered his thoughts and tried to formulate what he would say next. He knew he had to choose his words carefully if he wanted his side to be heard.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I know I screwed up our store today.” David started and paused to take a deep breath.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I shouldn’t have yelled at you.” Patrick cut in during the pause.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Please, Patrick. Let me get what I need to say out.” David looked at Patrick and waited for his responding nod before he trekked forward.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I screwed up. I shouldn’t have given away so many things. Especially the high end items. However, I really did think he had a gun. I get that you are mad and you have every right to be. I promise to never let anything like that happen again.” David continued turning his attention to his hands before he started his final statement. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“In order to do that I am going to dissolve our partnership and give you full rein of the store. If I have no responsibility I can’t fuck it up.” David’s voice was trying so hard to keep the sadness and insecurity at bay.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Patrick sighed and then moved to be right in front of David. “Can I speak now?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>David nodded.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t think we can get past this issue together? The way I see it I also screwed up today. I lost my temper before I even gave you guys the chance to explain or for me to really process how you must’ve felt. I think we can stay partners — in business and love — if we promise to breathe first, talk second from now on.” Patrick expressed his desire to keep things together and when David didn’t respond he added, “but if you want to leave the business and us I would understand and let you.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I just know that you are it for me, David. I’m not perfect and neither are you. We both still have some learning to do. I would very much prefer it if we did that together. What do you say?”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You promise?” David’s voice is barely above a whisper and his eyes are so earnest.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“David, I wouldn’t leave you even if you burned down the store.” Patrick smiled through a few tears that had escaped. “But please don’t.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>David hiccup laughed before wrapping his arms around Patrick and pulling him in close. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Can we agree to stop throwing out the threat of a break up every time we hit a speed bump? I’d rather like to have a conversation instead. Less messy.” Patrick tangled his hand in David’s hair.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I can promise to try.” David shrugged.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s all I ask.” Patrick smiled. Then he pulled David into a kiss. </span>
</p>
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